Sunday, July 21, 2002

Back to thrillers?
Kannada film director Sunil Kumar Desai seems rather too keen to get back to his old ways. Sunil Kumar Desai, who started his career directing thrillers like Tarka, Utkarsha and Nishkarsha moved to making family socials and love stories with Namoora Mandara Hoove and Beladingala Baale. He says he did not want to get branded for making only thrillers which is why he ventured into filming other subjects.

Notwithstanding the fact that his last film Parva sank at the box-office without a trace, his work, his film-making techniques, methodology and his themes continue to evoke a lot of curiosity in media and film circles.

“I don’t quite know why Parva failed. I am yet to analyse the reasons for its failure,” says Desai. The director who doesn’t reveal much about the plot in all his films has begun work on Marma (secret) starring Prema and debutant Anand in the lead. Desai is now out to prove to the world that he can pull it off this time with a thriller, which is perhaps his pet theme. “I will show what stuff I am made of and I will prove my point this time,” he roared on the occasion of his film’s launch.
“This subject of Marma has been haunting me for quite sometime. But, I had put this on the backburner for fear of being branded as one kind of film-maker,” he said. All that Desai would say about the film is that Marma has been culled out from an English book he read a few years back. “I discussed this subject with psychiatrists Dr Ashok Pai and Dr Srikanth Bhat before I could go ahead with the screenplay. The female protagonist in this movie is a split personality,” he said.

Prema feels her role will be a haunting one. Anand, a model who hails from Mysore is acting as the hero in the film. G D Suresh Gowda and P S Srinivasamurthy are producing their second movie after Dhruva. H C Venu is behind the camera.

No more item numbers
Actress Bhavana is very much in demand for doing for one-song dance sequences. In fact, a number of producers are vying with each other to sign her for one item number. However, Bhavana says she does not want to accept roles that offer her just one-song dance sequence or item number.

Bhavana stole the limelight in Ninagagi while making her appearance in a single song dance sequence which is a runaway hit all over the State. She was also seen in Sunil Kumar Desai’s Parva in a similar capacity. While saying ‘no’ to item numbers, Bhavana says she will however dance if she has a good role in the film as well.

Srikanth Srinivasa